Explosive charge.



E. JANDRIBB. s. BRILL.

' EXPLOS HA AAAAAAAAAA N FILED MAB. 7, 1910.

1,1Q9,292 Q I Patented Sept. 1,1914

UNITED STATES PATENT o tion.

EDMOND JANDRIER AND GEORGE SPENCER MERRILL, OF PEACE DALE, RHODE ISLAND.

EXPLOSIVE CHARGE.

Specification of Letters Patent;

Patented Sept. 1, 1914.

Application filed March 7, 1910. Serial No. 547,736.

following is a specification.

Our invention relates generally to the charges of shells and other projectiles, or explosive carriers, such as mines 'and torpedoes, which are to be disrupted by the contained charge, as distinguished from propulsive charges. I

Heretofore rojectiles, such as shells, have usually been c arged with a high power explosive by pouring the explosive into the shell chamber in the shape of granular or crystalline powder, the size of the individual grains of which bear no specific relation to the size of the shell chamber. This operation is slow and tedious and not unaccompanied with danger, since high power explosives in this form are extremely sensitive, and some of the explosive, in the shape of fine dust, is unavoidably scattered and gradually accumulates in the charging room, with consequent constant risk of explosion. It has also been proposed to charge shells with a high power explosive by first melting the explosive and pouring it in the melted state directly into the. shell chamber. This, however, has proven undesirable not only because the melted charge adheres to the metal of the shell and is practically unremovable therefrom, but also because of the unequal size of the crystals formed, by reason of the more rapid cooling of the exterior of the mass upon contact with the walls of the shell chamber, and because of the danger incident to the possible adhesion of some portion of the melted mass to the threaded part of the base of the shell. To the end of obviating these diiiiculties and providing a charge of high explosive power which can be safely and conveniently placed in the chamber of a shell or other explosive carrier we, in the first instance, take advantage of the well known fact that certain high power explosives have relatively low melting points, below the temperatures at which explosion thereof is likely to take place. In this class are some of the nitro compounds such, for example, as trinitro cresol and trinitro toluol, which melt at 107 C. and 80 0., respectively.

While the melting point of picric acid, 122 C. is rather high and somewhat dangerous, a mixture of picric acid and trinitro cresol in equal proportions melts at about 70 0. Hence in carrying our invention into eifect we take any desired or suitable high power explosive, or mixture of such explosives, having a safe low melting point,

and, having melted it, pour the melted mass into molds of suitable shape and size wherein it is allowed to slowly cool and harden. The molds may be of any size or shape required to produce charges, or sections, or parts of charges, of the desired size and form, which should be proportioned with reference to the particular use to which the charge is to be applied, in the case of shells or. similar projectiles, to the size of the cham-' her which the charge is to occupy.' Thus in forming charges for shells of a relatively small caliber the charge of which can conveniently be handled as a whole, we may cast the charge in a single piece of such size and shape as to entirely fill the shell chamher, having such slightly lesser diameter than the shell chamber as to be readily inserted therein. Such a charge is indicated in the drawing, which shows a sectional view of a shell, A, with the contained charge, B.

The charge is preferably provided with a central bore, C, formed in the process of casting, which may be utilized for the illsertion of a device to engage and remove the charge when desired, or for other purposes.

It is not necessary that the shell shall be placed in a vertical position, as heretofore, for the purpose of charging, but it may be, and preferably is, charged with much greater convenience, in the same manner as a gun, while lying in a horizontal position.

An explosive in the form of cast units of considerable size is not readily explodable except by detonation; hence charges formed in this manner can be handled and shells can be charged therewith and the charges withdrawn, if desired, with safety.

When it is considered that a fourteen inch shell, which can contain approximately but ninety-six pounds of a comminuted explosive, will'contain about two hundred pounds of such a charge as we have described, and that this charge is not only of far greater efliciency per pound because of its. greaterdensity but that an increase in the mass of a confined explosive increases explosive ably employ the process set forth in our companion application for Letters Patent of the United States, No. 547,738 filed of even date with this application.

From the foregoing it will be seen that our invention provides an explosive charge I of high efficiency, which can be handled and placed in aprojectile with safety and safely withdrawn if desired, and with which a projectile can, if desired, be charged immediately before being used, advantages which will be readily appreciated by those skilled in the art.

What we claim as new anddesire to secure by Letters Patent is': 1. The combination'with a projectile, provided with a charge cavity, of an explosive charge formed of an explosive material ca-.

pable of being melted at a relatively low temperature, said charge comprising a cast a body of said explosive in solid form and of.

such size and proportions as to closel but removably fit the charge cavity of sai projectile, whereby the charge and the projectile can be safely and separately stored, transported, assembled, and separated, without disintegration of the charge.

2. The combination with a projectile provided with a charge cavity, of an explosive charge, consisting of a cast body of high explosive material in solid homogeneous form containing the required quantity for a service charge for the projectile, and of a form and size to tightly but removably fit the charge cavity thereof, said charge being provided with a longitudinal bore to facilitate the removal of the charge bodily and without disintegration, and to receive a detonator. Y Y

y In testimony whereof, we have hereunto subscribed our names this 41th day of March,

3 ,EDMOND JANDRIER.

GEORGE SPENCER MERRILL.

g ,VVitnesses: c

' JoHN ROBINSON CARPENTER,

DEXTER WILBUR Hoxm. 

